Dr. Tatiana Sampaio managed to get a paralyzed patient to walk again and now Anvisa, which is the health controlling body of Brazil, authorized the start of the first clinical research with polylaminin, a substance studied for more than 20 years by researchers from the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro.

In this initial phase called phase one, the focus is to evaluate the safety of the drug, five patients aged between 18 and 72 years will participate in the study, all of them present complex acute injuries in the spinal cord and the thoracic region between the D2 and D10 vertebrae that occurred less than 72 hours ago and with a surgical indication.

Polylaminin is based on laminin, a natural protein in the body essential for cellular organization and tissue regeneration. In the Brazilian study, the substance is extracted from the human placenta and purified in the laboratory. It works as a kind of biological bridge, helping neurons reconnect after a serious injury, something that for decades was considered practically impossible in the central nervous system.

In previous, although limited, tests, polylaminin showed surprising results, patients who had completely lost movements below the injury presented partial and in some cases almost complete recovery, depending on the severity of the damage.

These studies were sufficient to justify the regulatory advance now authorized by Anvisa. At that time, researchers will monitor all possible adverse effects of the substance. If safety is confirmed, the study will be able to advance to phases two and three, where efficacy will be approved in larger groups.

The research is sponsored by the pharmaceutical company Cristália, guaranteeing structure and rigorous clinical standards; Let us hope that these discoveries will alleviate the burden of so many people with this condition.